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What Are the CDPAP Requirements for NY?

CDpap caregiver requirements

The New York Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) provides home care recipients with the ability to hire, train, manage, and compensate their personal assistants who provide caregiving services through Medicaid. This allows for greater freedom in choosing your quality of care. There are some key requirements that an eligible candidate must meet before they can be employed as one’s personal assistant.

Are you interested in becoming someone’s caregiver under the CDPAP program, or are you a consumer wondering if you can employ someone that you already have in mind? We will cover the essential caregiver requirements under CDPAP regulations to help you determine eligibility.

CDPAP Caregiver Requirements for the Consumer

According to the New York Department of Health, the first requirement for a CDPAP consumer is to be able to make independent decisions regarding their own care. If they cannot do so, they must have a legal representative who can act on their behalf.

The consumer must also meet the following additional requirements:

  • Must be eligible to receive medical assistance
  • Must be eligible to receive services for long-term care
  • Must be in a stable medical condition
  • Must need partial or full assistance with personal care, home healthcare, or skilled nursing tasks
  • Must be willing and able to fulfill all responsibilities as the consumer or have a representative willing to do so
  • Must be able to participate in assessment and reassessment of care, or designate a representative to do so

Additionally, the consumer or their representative is responsible for managing all aspects of their CDPAP-funded care program. This includes recruiting, hiring, training, supervising, and terminating employed caregivers. They are also responsible for securing coverage if their regular caregiver is unavailable at any time.

Lastly, the consumer must manage payroll for their caregivers. This involves duties such as keeping payroll records, resolving compensation issues with Medicaid, and other similar responsibilities.

Instead of directly overseeing the financial aspects of their care, a consumer can also opt to hire a fiscal intermediary service to oversee these processes. This can relieve the consumer of navigating complex paperwork and ensuring that their caregivers are compensated accurately, fairly, and on time while also accounting for other benefits like insurance coverage and paid time off.

Requirements for Caregivers

In addition to consumers, caregivers must also meet five primary requirements to be considered eligible for employment in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program. These standards are meant to ensure that the person who is providing services is qualified to do so in a safe, reliable, and compliant manner.

The first requirement is that the caregiver is at least 18 years of age. No legal minors are permitted to provide care as part of the CDPAP program.

Second, the caregiver must be able to prove that they are eligible to work in the United States. This requires government-issued photo identification and any relevant paperwork for employing a non-U.S. citizen.

Close relatives such as a spouse or custodial parent cannot serve as a paid CDPAP caregiver. This is meant to avoid potential conflicts of interest and establish a more objective and professional caregiving environment for the consumer.

A fourth requirement is that the consumer cannot have been excluded from government-funded healthcare programs before enrolling in CDPAP. This can include Medicaid, Medicare, or another federally sponsored program.

Lastly, the caregiver must consent to an initial health assessment by the New York Department of Health. Each year after, they must complete a follow-up annual assessment to confirm their continued participation eligibility.

Ready to Employ an Eligible Caregiver?

If you are an eligible consumer ready to employ a caregiver that meets the requirements above, consider working with a fiscal intermediary to assist you with the financial aspects of managing your own care. Our services at CDChoices create more time for you to focus on recruiting, training, and supervising your caregivers with the assurance that all financial obligations are met promptly and in complete compliance with New York State regulations.

CDChoices is a fiduciary provider of fiscal intermediary services. Our team values your independence to pursue your desired level and quality of care. To learn more about how we can assist you as a CDPAP participant, contact us today.

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